OH, the pain

My son came home this morning from his second early soccer practice; he has another this afternoon. Poor guy, shins sore, muscles cramped, head aching from head butting the ball. Now, while I sympathized with my poor baby, it also got me thinking.

As writers, we endure a different kind of pain. Pouring heart & soul into characters, breathing life into their world, revising their little lives. And then, there is critique, rejection, more rejection & if that weren't enough just a little more rejection. And then, when we think we are at the end of that little tenuous thread, we sludge through the 5 Stages of Death. Hey, it could be worse; it could be something we didn't sign up for.

My son ambled to the love seat, grumbled about the stars flittering across his field of vision & plunked his body down on the love seat. I, being his mother, ran for the salve, the muscle reliever & a little topping of sympathy. Not too much sympathy, mind you. He is after all 15 years old & only desires so much of the mommy stuff.

As I made my way back to the computer, I realized that the writing life requires its own salve. Kind words from someone who loves you, a good writing day, ice cream. Well, maybe not ice cream; at least not every day.

At the end of it all, I do know this: In the face of all rejection, I become a better writer, better listener & better person because I survived the trepidacious mess. So, rejection may not have the soothing nature of aloe, the smelly goodness of lavender or the warmth of kindness. But, at least, it lets me know I'm still alive to fight another writing day.

How do you deal with the pain & better still, how do slough it off to fight another day?

Happy Writing,

Patti Struble